So...what is a cat to do? I have Accurate #5 handy but have been trying to use it up in a .38 Special load lately. W231 is a staple powder for me and was what I used for 9x19mm 115-gr FMJ loads. WSF I just happen to have laying around and wouldn't mind an excuse to use it up.

Still...both W231 and AA#5 have substantially different ranges amongst these sources. With W231 I seem to have the best odds building a ladder between 4.0 and 4.4 grains, right? Or should I try to find a workable load with AA#5 and if so which resource do I believe? The single data point for WSF gives me pause (besides which I usually use WSF for a pet .45 ACP load).

I like both WSF and 231 and used to load quite a bit with both using Ranier plated bullets. If I didn't find particular load data for plated bullets, I used the data for lead bullet since plated bullet is closer in relation to lead rather than jacketed.For your load data look up some loads for lead bullets and see if you like any

true_pair wrote:I like both WSF and 231 and used to load quite a bit with both using Ranier plated bullets. If I didn't find particular load data for plated bullets, I used the data for lead bullet since plated bullet is closer in relation to lead rather than jacketed.For your load data look up some loads for lead bullets and see if you like any

While that rule of thumb has historically been true with most plated bullets it is not true for those that use thicker plating like X-Treme. I have empirical evidence that X-Treme behave more like jacketed than they do bare lead from using them in other calibers (.38Spl and .45ACP).

true_pair wrote:I like both WSF and 231 and used to load quite a bit with both using Ranier plated bullets. If I didn't find particular load data for plated bullets, I used the data for lead bullet since plated bullet is closer in relation to lead rather than jacketed.For your load data look up some loads for lead bullets and see if you like any

While that rule of thumb has historically been true with most plated bullets it is not true for those that use thicker plating like X-Treme. I have empirical evidence that X-Treme behave more like jacketed than they do bare lead from using them in other calibers (.38Spl and .45ACP).

Still better to be at lower pressures and work up than be inadvertently too high of a pressure.

From Xtreme website"Our Copper Plated Bullets can be run at mid-range jacketed velocities or higher end lead velocities. We recommend keeping velocities to less than 1500 FPS (Feet Per Second) and using only a light taper crimp"

So I guess you can take your pick for load data of Jacketed or lead bullet at long as you follow the velocity recommendation

The risk of sticking copper plated slugs in a bore by running them -FAR- too light is absolutely real, however, it is far more prevalent in a revolver. A revolver has a flash gap that willfully bleeds critical pressure that a semiautomatic does not.

With that said, I have hands-on with tens of thousands of plated 124/9mm, many Berry's and far more Extreme. I run them as if they are absolutely FMJ bullets. My go-to load for 124 Xtreme in 9mm has been 4.4gr Hodgdon Universal and COAL that I don't recall for certain but I want to say is 1.140". My brass of choice is modern ATK. (Federal, Blazer, CCI)

I'll be running exactly these at Fun'n'Gun if you'd like to try them... from my pistol or yours.

I like to swap brass... and I'm looking for .32 H&R Mag, .327 Fed Mag, .380 Auto and 10mm. If you have some and would like to swap for something else, send me a note!

I'm looking again for a good parabellum target/practice round. Not settled into anything yet, but Universal seems to be a good choice, PB too, but difficult to find these days.

What has me baffled is the few hundred WST loaded rounds I found in the basement. Back then, I had settled on 5.1 grains of WST, 124gr extreme bullet. I even modifed a little dandy rotor to drop exactly 5.1 grains. Many rounds used in a Browning Hi Power. Now when I research this load I find no data and worse, dire warnings to not use WST in 9mm. I recall being completely satified with the performance of this round and had no reason to look further. Also, I was buying WST by the 8#'s for shotgun target. Noticed no pressure signs, even loaded into blaser AL cases (gasp).

Hodgdon folks will not rationalize their decision to drop load data for WST, and that's ok. They do stand firm on not using it in 9mm.